CITY OF BOSTON LICENSING BOARD APPROVES FIRST FIVE LIQUOR LICENSE UPGRADES FOR BEER AND WINE LICENSEES

 CITY OF BOSTON LICENSING BOARD APPROVES FIRST FIVE LIQUOR LICENSE UPGRADES FOR BEER AND WINE LICENSEES

Last month, the Licensing Board also approved the three transferable all alcohol licenses

BOSTON - Thursday, January 29, 2026 - Today, the Boston Licensing Board approved five applications from beer and wine licensees upgrading to non-transferable all alcoholic beverages licenses. The businesses—89 Charles, Bebop, Carmelina's, New England Wicked Craft Company, and Serafina—are the first five businesses in Massachusetts to take advantage of this legislation, which was included in the Fiscal Year 2026 Massachusetts State Budget. The Licensing Board will send the five applications to the Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission for investigation and final approval.

“This first batch of upgraded liquor licenses will strengthen our neighborhoods, expand opportunities for business owners and bolster the vibrancy of our communities,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “I’m thankful to our state legislators who made this possible and encourage local businesses across our neighborhoods to take advantage of this upgrade and apply for an available liquor license. We look forward to celebrating the success of these restaurants and community spaces as they continue to grow and thrive.”

As part of the Fiscal Year 2026 Massachusetts State Budget, the State Legislature gave municipalities across Massachusetts the opportunity to opt into legislation that allows licensees permitted to sell only wines and malt beverages to trade in their license for a non-transferable all alcoholic beverages license. 

“I am thrilled to see these recipients take advantage of this meaningful program that will allow them to grow their businesses responsibility. Allowing businesses to upgrade liquor licenses while still respecting the neighborhood process will lead to great opportunities for restaurants and bars all across the City,” said State Representative Aaron Michlewitz, Chair of the House Committee on Ways & Means (D-Boston). “I want to thank the Mayor for her continued support of this initiative and her unwavering commitment to the economic growth of the City."

"Congratulations to District 1’s very own New England Wicked Craft and Carmelina’s, along with the other initial recipients of the City of Boston’s liquor license upgrades. This is a major win for our local economy and for restaurant owners who have long faced barriers to operating and growing their businesses," said City Councilor Gabriela Coletta Zapata. "With liquor licenses costing upwards of $600,000, access to an upgrade is critical to helping small businesses increase profit margins and compete in an increasingly challenging industry."

Mayor Michelle Wu introduced this legislation to the City Council and on September 20, the City Council approved the adoption of this legislation. On October 21, the Boston Licensing Board held an informational hearing to receive public feedback from licensees and opened a public comment period, which closed on December 3. On January 8, the Board voted on the final regulations. The guidelines include eliminating the need for a community process for anyone who has already completed the process in the past two years.

“Just weeks after finalizing the regulations, we are thrilled to approve the first five beer and wine upgrades,” said Kathleen Joyce, Chair of the Boston Licensing Board. “Business owners have been enthusiastic about this opportunity, and it’s clear from the number of applications that there is a need for these upgrades. We look forward to approving additional applications and are here to help throughout the process.”

The beer and wine upgrades, alongside the 2024 influx of new liquor licenses, enhance the City’s ability to support diverse local entrepreneurs and boost economic growth. 

After Mayor Wu and the Boston City Council filed a successful Home Rule Petition, Governor Maura Healey signed legislation on September 11, 2024, bringing 225 new liquor licenses to Boston. This new batch is the single largest addition to Boston’s liquor license quota since the end of Prohibition. With this influx, the City has the ability to support diverse local entrepreneurs and boost economic growth. Specifically, the legislation created:

• 195 zip code-restricted licenses (both all alcohol and beer and wine) in Charlestown, Dorchester, East Boston, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, Mattapan, Roslindale, Roxbury, South End, and West Roxbury, to be granted to the City over three calendar years
• 15 all alcohol licenses for community spaces, including non-profits, small theaters, and outdoor spaces
• 12 transferable all alcohol licenses
• 3 all alcohol neighborhood restricted licenses in Oak Square, Brighton

On December 18, the City of Boston Licensing Board approved the first three transferable all alcohol licenses. The Board approved applications from Ama, the new restaurant in Allston from Comfort Kitchen’s Pearl & Law Hospitality Group; Leather District coffeeshop Gracenote; and Merengue Express in Mission Hill. 

In total, the Board has approved over 60 liquor license applications. In early 2025, the Licensing Board approved 37 new liquor licenses. During the summer, the Licensing Board approved 21 neighborhood restricted licenses and three community space licenses. This fall, the Board approved four neighborhood restricted licenses. 

The Board will vote on additional applications for both new liquor licenses and beer and wine upgrades in the coming weeks. Potential applicants—both for new licenses and those interested in upgrading beer and wine licenses—are encouraged to start the process as soon as possible. The Mayor’s Office of Licensing and Consumer Affairs, the Office of Neighborhood Services, and Office of Small Business staff will continue to support potential applicants. The City of Boston Licensing Board hosts virtual office hours addressing the liquor license application process. Applicants can also make a drop-in appointment with the Boston Licensing Board at City Hall, Room 809 by contacting 617-635-4170 or emailing licensingboard@boston.gov. 

When reviewing additional applications, the Board will continue to factor in evolving neighborhood needs, market realities, the strength and sustainability of an establishment’s business plan, and the applicant’s ability to further economic growth for surrounding businesses.

Learn more about applying for a liquor license or upgrading an existing license on the Licensing Board website.

Healey-Driscoll Administration Releases Five-Year Statewide Plan to Address Sex Trafficking

Healey-Driscoll Administration Releases Five-Year Statewide Plan to Address Sex Trafficking 

New plan enhances victim safety and improves statewide response to sex trafficking 

BOSTON – In recognition of Human Trafficking Awareness Month, the Governor’s Council to Address Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, and Human Trafficking (GCSADVHT) released its Five-Year Statewide Plan to Address Sex Trafficking. Created through the collaborative efforts of the Sex Trafficking Branch of the Human Trafficking Subcommittee (HTS) of GCSADVHT, the plan offers a roadmap for Massachusetts with actionable steps to prevent sex trafficking across the state, to improve the lives of survivors, and to hold exploiters and buyers accountable.  

“Human trafficking is happening in our communities – in Massachusetts and across the country and the world. As Attorney General, my office investigated and prosecuted human traffickers while also expanding resources for survivors. As Governor, I want to make sure we are doing all that we can to prevent human trafficking, hold perpetrators accountable and support survivors,” said Governor Maura Healey. “I’m deeply grateful to the Council, including Lieutenant Governor Driscoll and Executive Director Vilma Uribe, for their work on these recommendations. This plan is an important step toward ending the exploitation of human beings in Massachusetts and protecting survivors across the state.” 

“As Chair of the Governor’s Council to Address Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, and Human Trafficking, I’ve met with survivors of human trafficking and their stories are important reminders of the urgency behind this work,” said Lieutenant Governor Driscoll, Chair of the Governor’s Council to Address Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, and Human Trafficking. “This plan came together with the input of advocates, community partners, and people with lived experiences. It outlines meaningful, actionable steps we can take to ensure we’re holding perpetrators accountable and supporting survivors across the state.” 

“Human trafficking thrives in the shadows, and this Five-Year Statewide Plan to Address Sex Trafficking will keep this critical issue in the spotlight, address the root causes of sex trafficking, and support survivors in achieving justice and improving their lives,” said Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell. “As Attorney General, I will continue to investigate and prosecute these crimes through my Human Trafficking Division, as well as provide support to survivors and their loved ones. I am grateful to the Healey-Driscoll Administration and the entire Governor’s Council to Address Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, and Human Trafficking for their continued dedication to addressing this issue.”    

The plan is broken up into six recommendation areas with clearly defined outcomes, and each outcome is driven by actionable steps to advance a framework for healing, recovery, and accountability over the course of five years.  

The recommendation areas are:  

• Leadership: Increasing statewide capacity and expertise to address sex trafficking.  

• Empowerment: Expand support services for survivors.  

• Justice: Achieve justice for survivors of sex trafficking. 

• Collaboration: Build sustainable structures and enhance coordination of anti-sex trafficking efforts.  

• Prevention: Prioritize impactful multi-level prevention efforts.  

• Measurement: Develop outcome measurement systems and data sharing opportunities.  

The plan development process incorporated a comprehensive stakeholder engagement approach, including a literature review of existing data and strategic plans, a survey of 76 stakeholders, interviews with over 60 individuals, and 10 focus groups with survivors, law enforcement personnel, government agencies, non-profit organizations, and other key stakeholders. Throughout the process, ForHealth Consulting at the UMass Chan Medical School coordinated the development, and survivors provided leadership and guidance through the Human Trafficking Subcommittee Advisory Group, which was specifically convened to inform this plan's development. 

“Throughout my career working alongside investigators, prosecutors, and advocates, I’ve seen firsthand that preventing and responding to sex trafficking demands teamwork and that survivors deserve a system that provides a clear path to safety and support,” said Public Safety and Security Secretary Gina Kwon. “No single agency can meet this challenge alone, and survivors should not have to navigate it alone. This five-year plan is our shared commitment to close gaps, strengthen coordination, and improve outcomes for survivors across Massachusetts.”  

“This effort has been a strong, multi sector partnership between survivors, health and human services agencies, law enforcement and others working together,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Kiame Mahaniah, MD, MBA. “This plan builds on the progress we’ve made in Massachusetts and provides a comprehensive roadmap for collaborative action over the next five years to address trafficking and exploitation. We look forward to continuing work with our partners, and bringing new partners to the table, to prevent sex trafficking and improve outcomes for survivors.” 

“This initiative marks a turning point in our state's response to exploitation. By addressing the root causes and streamlining the path to justice and healing, we are setting a new standard for how to support sex trafficking survivors and hold offenders accountable,” said Vilma Uribe, Executive Director of the Governor’s Council to Address Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, and Human Trafficking. 

“The Plan represents an unprecedented collaboration between government, service providers, researchers, and law enforcement, and was led by people with lived experience. I believe that this plan will make a measurable difference in the lives of marginalized people in the Commonwealth– those who are at the greatest risk of being trafficked and those being harmed today,” said Lisa Goldblatt Grace, Co-Chair of the Sex Trafficking Branch of the HTS of GCSADVHT.  

The Council is also announcing a new Trust administered by the Executive Office of Health and Human Services that will be established to help implement the plan through public-private support. John and Elizabeth McQuillan, Massachusetts philanthropists, have committed to seeding this fund with a direct donation and a matching pledge of an additional $100,000 to encourage other individuals and foundations to donate. In the first year of the plan, other private sector funders and donors may contribute to the Trust to support the Plan.  

“Protecting vulnerable people from exploitation requires durable systems, not one-off interventions. The Healey-Driscoll Administration understands that effective public-private partnerships demand long-term commitment, rigor, and shared accountability—and that’s why I chose to support this effort,” said John McQuillan. 

In her first year in office, Governor Healey signed Executive Order 611, expanded the scope of the Council to include Human Trafficking. The Council is chaired by Lieutenant Governor Driscoll, led by Executive Director Uribe, and includes members of the administration and their respective designees, 34 individuals appointed by the Governor and Lieutenant Governor, and over 150 subcommittee members.   

In her FY27 budget, to better ensure justice for survivors of sexual assault, Governor Healey included an outside section clarifying that all Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kits (SAECKs) must be stored for a minimum of 15 years and eliminating the statute of limitations in cases of rape when a DNA match exists, allowing for prosecution beyond the 15-year statute of limitations when DNA technology has identified a suspect.  

Governor Healey has also signed several laws aimed at protecting and supporting survivors, including expanding protections for victims of sexual assault by health care providers, cracking down on ghost guns and strengthening violence prevention, and banning revenge porn, preventing abuse and exploitation.      

Read the plan in full.  

紐英崙中華公所訂2/18慶馬年 董事會迎4名新人

紐英崙中華公所新屆職員有，左起伍振中，阮鴻燦，余寶愛，張青梅，雷國輝。
（檔案照片）

           (Boston Orange綜合報導) 紐英崙中華公所1月27日晚在公所禮堂召開本年度第一次董事大會，介紹4名新董事，選舉5個小組委員會的新一屆成員，投資小組再報佳績，2個月增值28.7萬餘元。

會中還宣布中華公所馬年春宴訂2月18日晚在帝苑大酒樓舉行。每年一度的中國城舞獅賀歲，則訂3月1日早上11點在夏利臣街和必珠街交界處舉行。

這是中華公所新屆職員，包括主席雷國輝、中文書記張青梅、英文書記阮鴻燦、財政陳余寶愛、核數伍振中等5人在新年度首次召開的會議。

黃氏公所、華裔退伍軍人會，以及朱沛國堂，有3個僑團派出共4名新人代表出席中華公所董事會，依序為黃氏公所的主席黃兆祥，中文書記黃納斯，華裔退伍軍人會會長Genie Boland。 朱沛國堂則派出了曾在中華公所以13萬餘元高薪全職工作，目前在Dorchester Bay Economic Development 擔任房地產主任，持律師執照的朱蘇珊。

當晚中華公所還辦理了物業、財政、投資，核數，章程及選舉等5個小組委員會的新一屆委員選舉。

物業、財政、投資，核數等4個小組，因席位數目和獲提名人數相同，不需辦理投票。其中物業、財政、投資均為去年原班人馬，核數小組則新增了黃紹培。

章程及選舉小組部分，應有9人，李奇舜自願退出，鄺元傑和黃納斯和余立昌獲提名，形成10人候選局面。依照中華公所章程，中文書記張青梅為這個小組的當然組長，其餘經投票產生的小組委員為雷陳秀珍、關麗莎、陳建立、梁添光、蔡倩婷、黃納斯、鄺元傑、余立昌。

其餘各小組人員為：

物業小組9人：阮鴻燦（組長）、司徒宗達、李源沛、陳黃海蘭、黃國威、周樹昂、陳家驊、陳仕維、余麗媖；

財政小組7人：陳余寶愛（組長）、李伍碧香、陳文珊、周萬欽、何遠光、謝如健、游誠康。

核數小組4人：伍振中（組長）、黃紹培、Genie Boland、阮偉昌。

投資小組13人：雷國輝（組長）、陳余寶愛、何遠光、陳黃海蘭、陳家驊、陳仕維、余麗媖、蔡倩婷、周萬欽、周樹昂、黃展唐、黃納斯、伍偉業。

             中華公所主席雷國輝當晚照例，做了包括中華公所事務，投資小組，物業小組的報告。從去年12月到今年1月26日，雷國輝以中華公所主席身份應邀參加了中華耆英會、大同村、至孝篤親公所，僑聲音樂劇社等至少4個僑團的聖誕聚會，洪門致公堂、波士頓安良工商會，黃氏宗親會，伍胥山公所等僑團，以及波士頓市長吳弭和中華公所自己的共6場就職典禮，還在1月1日出席了波士頓僑教中心的升旗典禮。

去年12月22日，他接待了橋水大學杜榮佳教授帶學生考察華裔移民歷史的訪問團，今年1月26日他代表中華公所，和多名華埠代表一起，應邀到波士頓計劃發展局，和波士頓市計劃長沈其樂討論華埠區域重劃方案。

雷國輝從四年前首度出任中華公所主席時就強調，要恢復辦理社會服務。他很高興的表示，過去2個月來，中華公所共為來自32個不同郵遞區號的253人提供了社會服務，以次數計，高達643次，其中90.2%為55歲以上耆英，81.9%為波士頓市居民，84.9%為低收入人士。

由具有精算師資格擔任投資小組組長的周萬欽，在過去這2個月間，依照中華公所已授權的，在500萬元初始投資額之上，每月追加50萬元繼續投資，依序以每股17.81元和18.45元，各買下2萬8千和2萬7千多元的Legacy LP，還在1月21日邀請穫多利（Fidelity）專項經理3人組，為中華公所董事們提供資料，解釋Legacy LP如何收費。總結2個月，共追加100萬元投資的結果為帳戶上現有7,149,833元，總值增加28萬餘元。

根據中華公所財政余寶愛的財務報告，中華公所在2025年11月及12月，共有收入47萬5686元，總支出76萬3千餘元。

            紐英崙中華公所的下次董事大會應為3月31日。

州長提要求 4 能源公司免除州民帳單利息費

           （Boston Orange編譯）麻州州長辦公室今（28）日發文，稱麻州4大能源公司同意今冬電費，不收利息，政府撥發的1.8億元補助款，將可讓民眾的2，3月電費下降25%，瓦斯費下降10％。

            該聲明指出，由於麻州州長奚莉（Maura Healey）要求，包括國家電網（National Grid），永源（Eversource），柏克夏瓦斯（Berkshire Gas）和Unitil等4家能源公司已同意，今冬2月和3月電費、瓦斯費帳單中延期支付費用的利息，全部免除。

            奚莉州長說，帳單金額實在太大，民眾迫切需要補助，所以她才在推動撥發1.8億元辦援助的「可負擔能源法案」中，包括了免除利息條款。

            在麻州的能源公司中，自由瓦斯（Liberty Gas）採取的回收成本方法，不包括展延收款期限，因此沒有娩出利息一說。

Following Governor Healey’s Demand, Utilities Agree to Waive All Interest Charges for Winter Energy Bill Relief 

Governor Healey spoke with the utilities today and the companies agreed to waive millions in interest 

 

BOSTON – Today all utilities have agreed to waive all carrying (or interest) charges on their winter bill relief proposals, following calls from Governor Maura Healey. National Grid, Eversource, Berkshire Gas and Unitil have all agreed to waive all interest charges.  

 

“Bills are too high and customers can’t wait for relief. That’s why I acted to get $180 million off winter electric bills and called on the utilities to help provide immediate relief -- including waiving interest charges,” said Governor Healey. “After seeing what they proposed, I again called on the utilities today to waive interest charges and they have agreed. Customers need relief and we’re going to continue to push for it. That includes our energy affordability legislation which creates more accountability for utilities, gets charges off bills, and drives down costs."  

 

Governor Healey called on the utilities to lower energy costs this winter. Her administration is covering the cost of $180 million in electricity bills for February and March. She also called on the utilities to deliver relief, resulting in an overall 25 percent reduction in electricity bills and 10 percent reduction in gas bills in February and March. For the costs that utilities plan to defer over several months, utilities will not collect any interest. Liberty Gas will not defer any costs.

奚莉州長2027會計年度預算 628億元

Governor Healey Files Fiscal Year 2027 Budget That Controls Spending, Prioritizes Affordability and Continues Transformative Investments in Education, Transportation 

Boston — Today, Governor Maura Healey filed her budget recommendation for Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27), which controls spending, protects key services, and invests in programs that residents rely on to make their lives better and more affordable.  

The $62.8 billion budget, filed as House 2, does not propose any new taxes or fees and represents 1.1 percent growth over estimated FY26 spending, the lowest spending rate since taking office and well under the rate of inflation. This includes $2.7 billion in Fair Share surtax spending. Alongside House 2, Governor Healey also filed a Fair Share supplemental budget bill to spend $1.15 billion in surplus FY25 surtax revenue on education and transportation initiatives.  

“This budget is about making life easier and more affordable for Massachusetts residents and businesses,” said Governor Healey. “At a time when budgets across the country are tight, this proposal maximizes our resources to deliver on what matters most while controlling spending, protecting taxpayer dollars and driving economic growth. We’re lowering costs by continuing free school meals, no-cost community college, and expanding universal pre-K. We’re fixing our roads and bridges so you can get where you need to go faster and investing in our schools so that every child gets the best education possible. While President Trump is cutting federal funding and driving up costs, we’re focused on making a positive difference in people’s lives – and we’re doing it without any new taxes." 

“We’re working every day to deliver the resources our communities need to run excellent schools, fix our roads and bridges, support our local businesses and make sure our residents are healthy,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “This is a balanced budget that ensures each dollar is spent efficiently, preserves critical services, and requires no new or increased taxes or fees.” 

Governor Healey's budget makes key investments that will reduce the cost of housing, transportation, education, health care and doing business in the state. It continues the Governor’s key affordability initiatives from the past few years, including her tax cuts, free school meals, no-cost community college, major transportation upgrades and her nation-leading investments in child care that have enabled over 8,000 child care programs to remain open and added over 22,000 seats statewide. This budget will also secure the necessary funding to deliver on Governor Healey’s pledge to achieve universal pre-kindergarten funding in all Gateway Cities this year. Governor Healey is also proposing $10 million for Accelerating Achievement, a new multi-year K-12 school improvement initiative focused on rapidly improving student outcomes in the state’s lowest-performing schools. 

Governor Healey’s budget continues to deliver on her $8 billion plan to upgrade roads, bridges and public transportation across the state. Between House 2 and the Fair Share supplemental budget, she is proposing $3.6 billion for transportation, including $2.54 billion for the MBTA. This funding will allow the T to continue making progress on improving safety and reliability across the system, while fully addressing their projected operating deficit in FY27. Governor Healey is also investing $75 million in the new Funding for Accelerated Infrastructure Repair (FAIR) program to help municipalities work through their backlog of municipal bridges in need of repair, enabled by leveraging Fair Share as part of the Governor’s $8 billion transportation plan.  

Governor Healey is also proposing new affordability initiatives. To reduce costs for Massachusetts businesses, she will create a new Workforce Productivity Fund to provide grants to small employers to help fill workforce gaps to best fit their needs. She is also simplifying the process for cancelling subscriptions, requiring companies to make it as easy to cancel as it is to sign up, and extending the ConnectorCare pilot, which expands eligibility for subsidized health insurance to individuals earning between 300 and 400 percent of the federal poverty limit. This will provide over 47,000 residents access to more affordable health insurance. Governor Healey is also proposing to create a new tax credit up to $5,000 for Massachusetts farmers that donate excess food to food banks and pantries. This will help to cut down on food waste and provide needed resources for food banks and pantries, all while supporting farmers. 

Governor Healey is also fully funding the implementation of the Maternal Health Law for the first time, ensuring that Massachusetts remains a leader in advancing maternal health equity and care. And to better ensure justice for survivors of sexual assault, Governor Healey filed an outside section clarifying that all Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kits (SAECKs) must be stored for a minimum of 15 years and eliminating the statute of limitations in cases of rape when a DNA match exists, allowing for prosecution beyond the 15-year statute of limitations when DNA technology has identified a suspect. The House 2 proposal would allocate $100 million for the Commonwealth Stabilization Fund, $136 million for post-retiree benefits, and $20 million for the Disaster Relief and Resiliency Fund to help the state prepare for unforeseen natural disasters. It also includes $5.131 billion for pension funding, which puts Massachusetts on a sustainable path to fully fund the state’s pension systems. 

The Governor’s budget proposal controls spending and protects taxpayer dollars, particularly in response to President Donald Trump’s billions of dollars in funding cuts to Massachusetts. Not including the $2.7 billion in proposed Fair Share investments, House 2 spending growth is limited to 1.1 percent over estimated FY26 spending and 3.5 percent over the FY26 GAA. 

“House 2 is a fiscally responsible spending plan that advances our administration’s strategy of protecting the integrity of Massachusetts’ budget despite significant national economic headwinds. This budget will strengthen Massachusetts' leadership in sectors like education and health care, provide for critical state programs and services, and drive down costs for residents,” said Administration and Finance Secretary Matthew J. Gorzkowicz. “As we look ahead to FY27, this budget recommendation will keep spending under control and ensure that every dollar we invest generates the maximum return for Massachusetts residents.” 

Fair Share  

Across House 2 and the Supplemental Budget, the administration is proposing to use a total of $3.85 billion in Fair Share revenues to continue making transformative improvements to Massachusetts’s education and transportation systems.  

Fair Share Investments in House 2 and the Supplemental Budget Bill: 

Education ($ in millions)	FY27 H.2	Fair Share Supplemental
Early Education & Care	636.2	150.0
Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) Program	360.0	-
EEC Child Care Financial Assistance	244.2	-
Commonwealth Preschool Partnership Initiative (CPPI)	32.0	-
EEC Fund	-	150.0
K-12 Education	790.8	190.0
Student Opportunity Act (Ch. 70)	550.6	-
Universal Free School Meals	198.0	-
Literacy Launch	25.0	-
Reimagining High School	11.2	-
Mental Health Systems and Wraparounds	6.0	-
Special Education Circuit Breaker Reserve	-	150.0
High Dosage Tutoring	-	25.0
K-12 Accelerating Achievement	-	10.0
Adult Basic Ed/ESOL	-	5.0
Higher Education	236.0	18.3
Free Community College	137.0	-
MASSGrant Plus	85.0	-
State University SUCCESS	14.0	-
State Financial Aid Supplement	-	18.3
Education Total	1,663.0	358.3
Transportation ($ in millions)	FY27 H.2	Fair Share Supplemental
MBTA Supports	470.0	644.7
MBTA Operating Subsidy	470.0	523.0
FTA Reserve	-	121.7
MassDOT	220.2	80.0
MassDOT Service Investments	220.2	43.0
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Credit	-	30.0
Unpaved Roads	-	7.0
RTAs	184.8	60.0
RTA Supports	184.8	45.0
Micro Transit and Last Mile Innovation Grants	-	15.0
Other Transportation	162.0	-
HHS Transportation	100.0	-
Education Transportation	62.0	-
Transportation Total	1,037.0	784.7
Other Fair Share	FY27 H.2	Fair Share Supplemental
Academic Spinout	-	5.0
Transportation Spinout	-	5.0
Other Fair Share Total	-	10.0
Fair Share Total	2,700.0	1,153.0

 

Local Aid  

The Healey-Driscoll Administration is committed to strengthening municipal capacity statewide through robust local aid investments. In House 2, the administration recommends more than $10.4 billion in local aid, a $439 million (4 percent) increase over the FY26 GAA, in addition to fully funding the final implementation phase of the Student Opportunity Act and dedicating $7.6 billion for Chapter 70 school aid (a $242 million increase over the FY26 GAA). House 2 also proposes full funding for Charter School Reimbursements at $200.4 million, $20 million for rural school aid and the administration’s legislative package fully funds the Special Education Circuit Breaker at $802.7 million. This budget recommendation also expands the administration’s commitment to school transportation by investing an additional $154.3 million to reimburse school districts for a significant share of transportation costs.  

Unrestricted General Government Aid (UGGA) supports local government functions including public safety, public works, and economic development, and remains the only fully flexible, unrestricted source of state local aid available to cities and towns. Continuing the established approach of growing UGGA in line with consensus tax revenue growth, the House 2 budget recommends $1.356 billion in funding, an increase of $33 million (2.5 percent) over the FY26 GAA. 

These investments are in addition to the four-year, $1.2 billion Chapter 90 bond bill that Governor Healey filed earlier this month. 

Highlights  

Housing  

• $1.2 billion in targeted investments at the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities to make housing more affordable and accessible in Massachusetts 
• $278.3 million for the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP) to support more than 11,500 mobile and project-based rental vouchers 
• $258.6 million for Emergency Assistance (EA) for Family Shelters, a $17.8 million decrease from FY26 funding, reflecting the lowest family shelter caseload in decades due to Governor Healey’s reforms 
• $201.2 million for the Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) program 
• $117.8 million for subsidies for Local Housing Authorities, an increase of $2.2 million (2 percent) over FY26 
• $114 million for Homeless Individual Shelters to preserve about 2,800 shelter beds for individuals experiencing homelessness, including triage, diversion and rapid rehousing programs 
  
  

Education  

• $1.22 billion to support Child Care Financial Assistance programs to funds help families afford care and ensure providers are paid a fair rate regardless of where they live 
• $802.7 million ($127.7 million more than the FY26 GAA) for Special Education Circuit Breaker  
• $475 million to maintain the Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) program to maintain stability of the state’s child care system  
• $198 million for universal free school meals, an $18 million increase over FY26 GAA 
• $154.3 million for education transportation reimbursement 
• $137.05 million to maintain free community college 
• $103.3 million to sustain the MASSGrant Plus expansion and other financial aid 
• $53.4 million for Governor Healey’s Reimagining High School initiative ($3 million more than the FY26 GAA), which supports programs like Early College and Innovation Career Pathways  
• $38 million for student SUCCESS programming at public colleges and universities, including $10 million for UMass for the first time 
• $36.95 million for universal access to high-quality pre-K through the Commonwealth Preschool Partnership Initiative (CPPI) to meet Governor Healey’s goal of delivering universal, high-quality preschool funding for four-year-olds in all Gateway Cities by the end of 2026 
• $25 million for the third year of Literacy Launch  
• $25 million for the second year of no-cost high dosage early literacy tutoring to an estimated 10,000 students    
• $10 million for Accelerating Achievement, a new multi-year K-12 school improvement initiative focused on rapidly improving student outcomes in our lowest-performing schools  
• $17 million to support student mental and social-emotional health, addressing the youth mental health crisis 
• $500,000 to support food security on college campuses 
  
  

Transportation 

MassDOT 

• $645 million for core MassDOT operations, including $85 million in funding for snow and ice removal 
• $220 million to bolster MassDOT services in House 2, with an additional $43 million in the Fair Share supplemental budget  
• The Fair Share supplemental budget establishes a new tax credit that incentivizes the use of sustainable aviation fuel by airlines through 2028 
• The credit is supported by $30 million in Fair Share funding 
  
  

MBTA 

• $470 million in contract assistance to support MBTA operations in House 2, and $523 million to further support MBTA operating stabilization in the Fair Share supplemental budget, for a total of $993 million 
• This amount fully addresses the MBTA’s operating deficits through the end of fiscal year 2027 and continues the MBTA’s progress toward fiscal stability 
• Supports affordability initiatives including income eligible reduced fare program and reliability, workforce and service investments in water transportation, MBTA Academy, and commuter rail 
• $122 million for the FTA reserve in the Fair Share supplemental budget to continue MBTA’s progress on safety and workforce investments 
  
  

Regional Transit Authorities (RTAs)  

• $185 million for RTA supports in House 2, with an additional $45 million in the Fair Share supplemental budget  
• $94 million to maintain the historical annual operating transfer to RTAs 
• $66 million in supplemental State Contract Assistance to expand service hours, operate weekend service, and enhance routes and other operational improvements for RTAs 
• $35 million to support systemwide, year-round fare-free transit on RTAs 
• $15 million for micro transit and last mile innovation grants in the Fair Share supplemental budget to extend transit and mobility opportunities to underserved populations and communities 
  
  

Economic Development  

• $40 million for the Life Sciences Tax Incentive Program 
• $30 million for the new refundable climatetech tax credit to support research and development, manufacturing, and deployment 
• $30 million for the recently reformed Economic Development Incentive Program (EDIP) Tax Credit to allow larger refundable awards, broader eligibility, and stacking with certain incentives 
• $10 million for an operating transfer to the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC)  
• $10 million for a new Community Workforce Partnerships Program grant program 
• $7 million for the Live Theater Tax Credit, enabling it to continue in its second year to support qualifying live theater productions 
• $5 million for Small Business Technical Assistance (SBTA) grants 
• $3.5 million for programming at MassTech Collaborative
   

Labor and Workforce Development  

• $15.4 million to support summer and year-round youth employment through the YouthWorks program 
• $8.9 million for Career Technical Institutes (CTIs), which aim to close skills training gaps by expanding access to vocational education 
• $8 million for the Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund 
• $3.3 million to leverage registered apprenticeship as a career pathway for untapped talent in growing industries  
• Modernizes the youth work permit process making it easier for teens to get jobs and improving compliance through better data tracking 

 

Health and Human Services  

• One year extension of the ConnectorCare pilot, which expands eligibility for subsidized health insurance to individuals earning between 300 and 400 percent of the federal poverty limit, providing over 47,000 residents access to more affordable health insurance 
• $175 million for new Chapter 257 rates for human service providers, as well as $131.6 million in annualize FY26 rate increases  
• Historic investments in supporting our most vulnerable populations, including:  
• $91.8 M increase for the Executive Office of Aging & Independence  
• $91.4 M increase for the Department of Developmental Services 
• $33.1 million to fully fund new enrollees in FY27’s Turning 22 class  
• $29.7 million for the Healthy Incentives Program 
• $15 million for grants to local boards of health 
• $5 million for the Massachusetts Access to Counsel Initiative (MACI) 
• $4.3 million to fully fund and implement the Maternal Health Law 
  
  

MassHealth  

MassHealth, the Commonwealth’s Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), provides coverage of health care and related critical services to about two million members, including over 45 percent of Massachusetts children and over 70 percent of Massachusetts residents living in nursing facilities. In recent years, MassHealth spending growth has been driven by dramatic sector-wide health care cost growth and a sharp increase in the cost per individual MassHealth member. Most recently, the three largest contributors to spending growth are prescription drugs, behavioral health services, and long-term services and supports for the state’s aging population. These spending challenges have been made worse by President Trump and Congressional Republicans stripping Massachusetts of billions of federal health care dollars. 

House 2 proposes necessary, but measured, initial steps to put MassHealth on more sustainable footing. MassHealth’s budget is filed at $22.701 billion in total spending. 

To bring FY27 spending down to proposed levels, the administration will: 

• Continue to aggressively expand program integrity initiatives 
• Institute a moratorium on all provider rate increases or program expansions not required by federal law 
• Make targeted service reductions that bring MassHealth in line with peer states and commercial payors 
• Implement one-time measures that bridge to FY28, allowing time for policy development and stakeholder engagement over the next 18 months 
  
  

Veterans 

• $45.96 million for the Massachusetts Veterans Home at Chelsea  
• $39.84 million for the Massachusetts Veterans Home at Holyoke  
  
  

Energy and Environment 

• $141 million for the Department of Conservation and Recreation to keep parks, forests, beaches, trails, rinks, pools, and campgrounds open, safe and accessible  
• $59.6 million for administration, expedient permitting, and compliance across DEP 
• $55 million for the Massachusetts Emergency Food Assistance Program 
• $28.9 million for the Department of Public Utilities to continue to strengthen interagency coordination to reduce delays while maintaining rigorous environmental and safety standards 
• $15 million for Hazardous Waste Cleanup 
• $7.4 million for the Department of Energy Resources (DOER) to prioritize energy efficiency and the expansion of energy supply